Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

[SPTO]

"One thing I would consider is giving the wild-card team no home games (in the first round), but they would get a financial cut of some sort, so they aren't necessarily losing any money," Jocketty said.

"The wild-card team usually is playing the team with the best record and that team (with the best record) should have more of an advantage in a short series than just three home games."

Jocketty even would favor a 2-1-2 split, guaranteeing the wild-card team one home game, but also assuring that the series would start and probably finish at the site of the division champion.

"That would make more sense," he said. "It would be better than what we have now."

Although the Cardinals might play the playoff team with the worst record anyway this year, Jocketty also wouldn't mind if the playoff teams were seeded 1 through 4, regardless of divisional ties. Under this format, divisional foes could play in the first round.

"There's some validity to that," Jocketty said. "You may end up playing a team in the same division at some point anyway."

Thoughts and opinions?

It's an interesting idea but I don't think it could ever happen. Jocketty also loses some points with the worst team being the NL West Division champs.

Link: STL Today

[TheTruth916]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

Its a interesting idea. But the way the playoffs are set up now is just fine, because it makes for more excitement when you don't have all the games played in one area. That would get boring real fast.

So don't fix what isn't broken.

[nyisles16]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

thats sorta what the NFL has, right? that the wild card team has no home games?

[dkgojackets]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

If the highest seed is truly the better team, then they should be able to win the series anyway. They still have an extra home game as it is now, so I dont see any reason to change. The seeding by record though and possibly playing a division team in the first round is a good idea, though.

[SPTO]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

thats sorta what the NFL has, right? that the wild card team has no home games?

correct

[nyisles16]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

i would love for baseball to get rid of the "cant play an opponent in your division till the end" theory.. i mean, can you just imagine having Yanks/Sox 1st round? that would be crazy.. & besides, the MLB teams would still make their money, & maybe even more, if they got rid of the rule - cause I'm sure it would lead to quicker sellouts of games.....


but the biggest thing is they gotta get rid of the late starting games in the post-season..

[SPTO]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

but the biggest thing is they gotta get rid of the late starting games in the post-season..

HAH that would never happen. They want to put the games in primetime to get bigger ad dollars. I'd love to see an afternoon World Series game like in the old days. Oh well i'll just be happy that some of the Division Series games are played in the afternoon.

[sdrotar]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

I see Jocketty's point, but the way it is works well.
San Diego may win the NL West with a losing record - is it fair that the wild-card team, a better team than San Diego, should play no home games, while the Padres do?

Of course not - and this isn't the first time that one wild-card team will have a better record than a division winner. It's happened almost every year. In fact, it'll also probably happen in the AL this year, too.

If you're the better team, then go out and win your games. You do have home-field advantage already. It's that simple.

The way it is right now is very exciting for baseball fans - and anything that holds fan interest during NFL season is a plus. I like the fact that division teams don't play in the first round. The unbalanced schedule means that these teams have already played each other plenty of times (so immediately starting with them again seems like overkill to me), and they've often have developed a good rivalry. If the wild-card team makes it to the LCS, then great - that rivalry and familiarity between the teams tends to make for a better series anyway.

The wild-card system, as is, has been a huge success without diluting the regular season like the NBA and NHL do with their playoffs.

Like others have said - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[BGarrett7]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

Best team should play the worst team, regardless of league champion or wild card status. Ok, say the whole "can't play team from same division" rule were thrown out the window this year. The Astros (the wild card team) would matchup against the Cardinals, and the Braves would face-off against the Padres. Why should Houston and St. Louis get the crap end of that stick? Houston would be eight games ahead of the Padres if there were no divisions, yet they are matched up against the team with the best record in baseball? Just doesn't seem right. Houston is clearly a better team than San Diego based on record and division strength, yet would have to beat the best team in the league in order to reach the NLCS. Meanwhile, the Braves end up getting the best first round matchup, despite the fact they will finish up with the second best record in the league. The best team and the worst team should matchup in the first round, regardless of division alliance and champ-wildcard status. Period. As for the other two teams, let the record determine who gets homefield. Or, if the wildcard team ends up being in this matchup, give it to the other team for winning their division. Very simple concept, and quite logical to boot.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

If I was in charge:

- I would let 2 teams within the same division face each other in the first round

- Add another wildcard team. But I'm not saying there should be 5 playoff teams in one league. What I'm proposing is that the 3 division winners get in. The next 2 teams with the best record face each other in a one game playoff with the winning team advancing into the post season. The team with a better record would get home field. This would keep more teams in the playoff hunt while still only allowing 8 teams to reach the post-season.

- Ban Tim McCarver from the booth

[Patman]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

The idea is that he doesn't like the wild card teams beating the 'dominance heirarchy' as it were where a team that wins a div. title shouldn't lose... its the same idea that is afraid of a playoff in football... we've already 'decided' which teams shouldn't lose so it should likewise stay on script. Basically its making it so that a wild card team has a harder time of winning.

The only thing I'd do is institute the ALW94(?)/NLW05 rule... any division champion with a winning percentage of .500 or lower is not awarded a playoff berth and the team with the 2nd best record out of those who are not division champs in their league would take their place.

[Misfit]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

thats sorta what the NFL has, right? that the wild card team has no home games?

Yeah, but the NFL doesn't play a series, they have a one game elimination format. The lowest seed cannot have a home game (unless by coincidence the Superbowl is played in their stadium and they make it) but the second lowest seed (also a wildcard team) can if both wildcard teams make it to the Conference Championship game. Also, the wildcard teams are always the lowest seeds, regardless if they happen to have a better record than a division champ.

[GnarlyKing]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

"Add another wildcard team. But I'm not saying there should be 5 playoff teams in one league. What I'm proposing is that the 3 division winners get in. The next 2 teams with the best record face each other in a one game playoff with the winning team advancing into the post season. The team with a better record would get home field. This would keep more teams in the playoff hunt while still only allowing 8 teams to reach the post-season."

I like that idea except I say make it a best of 3, which would force the wild cards to use their main pitchers to advance while the division winners rest and get their staffs set up. Then let the team with the best record face the winner of that series regardless of whether or not they're in the same division and have that series start the next day. End the season on Sunday, start the Wild Card series on Tuesday and then start the Division Series on Friday.

[GnarlyKing]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

The only thing I'd do is institute the ALW94(?)/NLW05 rule... any division champion with a winning percentage of .500 or lower is not awarded a playoff berth and the team with the 2nd best record out of those who are not division champs in their league would take their place.

Yeah, it is a joke that there are going to be at least 3(and more than likely 4) teams in the National League sitting at home next week with better records than the Padres while the Padres are playing in the playoffs.

[fowess]

Re: Walt Jocketty's playoff idea

They should do it like the NBA: all 4 teams still stay, but the division winners get ranked higher than the rest HOWEVA if the Wild Card team has a better record than the team they're playing against, the WC team gets homefield.

But I guess that only makes sense when you have more than 4 teams since it seems to be based no giving a division winner a bonus through the bracket (by being seeded higher) than just homefield alone.